MOVIE REVIEW: Golf bio-pic 'Tommy's Honour' does the game proud

Tommy Morris Jr., the pride of St. Andrews, was the Tiger Woods of his day, winning four British Opens all before his 22nd birthday in 1872.

By Al Alexander/For The Patriot Ledger

The only thing duller than golf are movies about golf. But “Tommy’s Honour,” the long overdue story of 19th-century Scottish links king Tommy Morris Jr., is a slice above. The pride of St. Andrews, Morris was the Tiger Woods of his day, winning four British Opens (or The Open as it’s called here) in a row – all before his 22nd birthday in 1872. But unlike Woods, Morris did not have an easy climb to the top.

Directed by Jason (son of Sean) Connery, the movie is not without its share of corn, and a script by Pamela Martin and Kevin Cook (based on his book) isn’t ashamed to incorporate dime-store philosophies like “A man must use every club he has.” But beyond the eye rolling, “Tommy’s Honour” is a good old-fashioned tale about classism with a little bit of pride and greed thrown in for measure.

Like his sainted father, Connery is a no-frills kind of guy, and it shows in his film’s cheap production values. The golf scenes, all shot on the windy shores of Scotland, are limited to teeing off and sinking putts. If they feel perfunctory, it’s because Connery is more interested in the human relationships, particularly between Tommy (Jack Lowden) and his father, Tommy Sr., played by the fine character actor Peter Mullan from behind some of the year’s most fascinating facial hair.

It’s clear from the start Tommy Sr. is the controlling type who uses guilt-shaming as his No. 1 weapon in keeping his son in line. He’s also a pretty good golfer himself, but when we first meet him he’s making his way as a caddy to the rich and snobby, a group led by Sam Neill’s hissable Alexander Boothby. As an aside, Tommy Sr. also dabbles in handcrafting golf clubs and designing courses. But what Tommy Sr. knows more than anything is his station in life, an acceptance that he attempts to pass onto his son, telling the lad, “You’re a caddy’s son and a caddy you shall be."

Tommy Jr. has other ideas and builds himself into a champion golfer. Soon, father and son are hustling money as golf’s most dynamic duo, relieving the rich and famous of their spare cash to amass a tiny fortune. There’s a bonnie lass of course, a feisty waitress named Meg (Ophelia Lovibond, a dead-ringer for “Seinfeld”-era Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who is Tommy Jr.’s senior by nine years. She also has a wee bit of a reputation, causing friction between Tommy and his mother, who minces no words in calling Meg “a fornicatrix.”

Yes, it has the makings of an afternoon soap, including a pair of untimely deaths, but what grips you is the chance to see golf’s evolution from a sport of kings to one of the everyman. Connery also has fun with the game’s lack of decorum in the 19th century, when it was not unusual for a donnybrook to breakout mid-match. It’s childish, but one can’t help thinking how much more fun golf would be if it still owned that hockey mentality. And can you believe they played in the snow?

It’s a real eye-opener, as are the performances by Mullan and Lowden, who is the film’s real find. Possessing a charisma that’s as subtle as it is powerful, Lowden confidently strides through a movie that requires him to veer from sly mischief-maker to bearer of deep sorrow, never missing a beat. But the more compelling role belongs to Mullan, walking the tightrope between charming codger and heartless manipulator. As always, he’s an actor who brings far more than what’s on the page and you can count on him to come to the rescue whenever the movie begins to bog down in melodrama. While “Tommy’s Honour” isn’t perfect, Mullan is, lifting an on-par biopic into something sure to keep the gallery buzzing. TOMMY’S HONOUR (PG for thematic elements, some suggestive material, language and smoking.) Cast includes Peter Mullan, Jack Lowden, Sam Neill and Ophelia Lovibond. Grade: B

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